The Glory of Meghanadeshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.5.94.1)

श्रीहर उवाच। मेघनादेश्वरं देवि त्रयोविंशतिमं शृणु। यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण प्राप्यते सर्वसिद्धयः

śrīhara uvāca| meghanādeśvaraṁ devi trayoviṁśatimaṁ śṛṇu| yasya darśanamātreṇa prāpyate sarvasiddhayaḥ

Shri Hara said: Hear, O Devi, of the twenty-third deity, Meghanadeshvara — by whose mere sight all accomplishments are obtained.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.94.2)

राजमूला महादेवि योगक्षेमाः सुवृष्टयः। प्रजाश्च व्याधयश्चैव मरणं च भयानि च

rājamūlā mahādevi yogakṣemāḥ suvṛṣṭayaḥ| prajāśca vyādhayaścaiva maraṇaṁ ca bhayāni ca

O great Devi, the king is the root cause of welfare, of good rains, of the people's condition, of disease, of death and of fears.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.94.3)

राजा कृतं तथा त्रेता द्वापरश्च तथा कलिः। राजमूलानि सर्वाणि राजाधर्मस्य कारणम्

rājā kṛtaṁ tathā tretā dvāparaśca tathā kaliḥ| rājamūlāni sarvāṇi rājādharmasya kāraṇam

The king is the very root of the Krita, Treta, Dvapara and Kali ages; the king's righteousness is the cause of all these.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.94.4)

राजा बभूव लोकेऽस्मिन्मदांधोनाम पार्वति। अहंकारावृतो दुष्टो देवब्राह्मणकंटकः

rājā babhūva loke'sminmadāṁdhonāma pārvati| ahaṁkārāvṛto duṣṭo devabrāhmaṇakaṁṭakaḥ

O Parvati, there was in this world a king named Madandha, wrapped in pride, wicked, a thorn to gods and Brahmins.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.94.5)

कलि द्वापरयोः संधौ तस्य दोषाच्च भामिनि। अनावृष्टिरभूद्धोरा लोके द्वादशवार्षिकी

kali dvāparayoḥ saṁdhau tasya doṣācca bhāmini| anāvṛṣṭirabhūddhorā loke dvādaśavārṣikī

O fair one, at the juncture of Dvapara and Kali, through his very fault, a terrible twelve-year drought befell the world.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.94.6)

न ववर्ष सहस्राक्षः प्रतिलोमोऽभवत्प्रभुः। नादृश्यन्तापि रात्र्यंते कुत एवाभ्रजातयः

na vavarṣa sahasrākṣaḥ pratilomo'bhavatprabhuḥ| nādṛśyantāpi rātryaṁte kuta evābhrajātayaḥ

The thousand-eyed one did not send rain; that lord grew averse; not even at night's end were clouds to be seen — whence, then, could cloud-masses arise?

Verse 7 (skanda.5.94.7)

नद्यः संक्षिप्ततोयौघाः क्वचिदंतर्हितास्तदा। निवृत्तयज्ञस्वाध्याया निर्वषट्कारमंगलाः

nadyaḥ saṁkṣiptatoyaughāḥ kvacidaṁtarhitāstadā| nivṛttayajñasvādhyāyā nirvaṣaṭkāramaṁgalāḥ

Rivers, their waters shrunk, in places vanished entirely; sacrifices and vedic study ceased, and the sounds of the vashatkara and auspicious rites fell silent.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.94.8)

उच्छिन्नकृषि गोरक्षा निवृत्तविपणास्तथा। अस्थिकंकालसंकीर्णा हाहाभूतनराकुलाः

ucchinnakṛṣi gorakṣā nivṛttavipaṇāstathā| asthikaṁkālasaṁkīrṇā hāhābhūtanarākulāḥ

Farming and cow-tending were destroyed, markets closed; the land lay strewn with bones and skeletons, filled with people crying out in anguish.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.94.9)

शून्यभूयिष्ठनगरा दग्धग्रामनिवेशिनः। गोजाश्वमहिषैर्हीना भक्ष्यमाणाः परस्परम्

śūnyabhūyiṣṭhanagarā dagdhagrāmaniveśinaḥ| gojāśvamahiṣairhīnā bhakṣyamāṇāḥ parasparam

The cities became mostly empty, the villages burned and deserted; bereft of cattle, horses and buffaloes, people began to devour one another.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.94.10)

आश्रमान्संपरित्यज्य पर्यधावन्नितस्ततः। ब्राह्मणा दुःखबहुला मृता नष्टाश्च पार्वति

āśramānsaṁparityajya paryadhāvannitastataḥ| brāhmaṇā duḥkhabahulā mṛtā naṣṭāśca pārvati

Abandoning their hermitages, people ran hither and thither; the Brahmins, O Parvati, greatly sorrowful, died and perished.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.94.11)

सूष्टिरुन्मूलिता सर्वा जंगमा स्थावराखिला। एतस्मिन्नंतरे देवाः शक्राद्या भयविह्वलाः

sūṣṭirunmūlitā sarvā jaṁgamā sthāvarākhilā| etasminnaṁtare devāḥ śakrādyā bhayavihvalāḥ

All creation, moving and unmoving, was uprooted entirely. Meanwhile the gods, headed by Shakra, became overwhelmed with fear.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.94.12)

शरण्यं शरणं जग्मुर्देवदेवं जनार्दनम्। क्षीरोदस्योत्तरे कूले श्वेतद्वीपं मनोरमम्

śaraṇyaṁ śaraṇaṁ jagmurdevadevaṁ janārdanam| kṣīrodasyottare kūle śvetadvīpaṁ manoramam

They went for refuge to Janardana, God of gods, worthy of giving refuge, to the lovely White Island on the northern shore of the Ocean of Milk.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.94.13)

ब्रह्मलोकादिभिर्लोकैरनौपम्यगुणं शुभम्। सदानंदकरं शांतं सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभम्

brahmalokādibhirlokairanaupamyaguṇaṁ śubham| sadānaṁdakaraṁ śāṁtaṁ sūryakoṭisamaprabham

That place, beyond compare even with Brahmaloka and the other worlds, was auspicious, ever bliss-giving, peaceful, and radiant as ten million suns.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.94.14)

स्वेच्छाकल्पितवि न्यासप्रासादशयनासनम्। वज्रेंद्रनीलवैडूर्यचंद्रकांतादिदीपितम्

svecchākalpitavi nyāsaprāsādaśayanāsanam| vajreṁdranīlavaiḍūryacaṁdrakāṁtādidīpitam

There were mansions, couches and seats fashioned as one wished, ablaze with diamond, sapphire, cat's-eye, moonstone and other gems.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.94.15)

जरामृत्युभयोपेतसर्वव्याधिविवर्जितम्। तस्मिन्द्वीपे ततो देवि सूर्य कोटिसमप्रभम्। साष्टांगां प्रणतिं कृत्वा ते देवाः स्तुतिमब्रुवन्

jarāmṛtyubhayopetasarvavyādhivivarjitam| tasmindvīpe tato devi sūrya koṭisamaprabham| sāṣṭāṁgāṁ praṇatiṁ kṛtvā te devāḥ stutimabruvan

That place was free from the fear of old age and death, and from every disease. On that island, O Devi, beholding the god radiant as ten million suns, the gods bowed with all eight limbs and spoke this hymn of praise.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.94.16)

भवान्ब्रह्मा च रुद्रश्च महेंद्रो देवसत्तमः। भवान्कर्त्ता विकर्त्ता च लोकानां प्रभवोऽव्ययः

bhavānbrahmā ca rudraśca maheṁdro devasattamaḥ| bhavānkarttā vikarttā ca lokānāṁ prabhavo'vyayaḥ

'You are Brahma, You are Rudra and mighty Indra, best of gods; You are the maker and unmaker, the imperishable source of the worlds.'

Verse 17 (skanda.5.94.17)

एवं च सत्यं परमं तपश्च परमं तथा। पवित्रं परममार्गं यज्ञस्त्वं परमः प्रभो

evaṁ ca satyaṁ paramaṁ tapaśca paramaṁ tathā| pavitraṁ paramamārgaṁ yajñastvaṁ paramaḥ prabho

'So too You are the highest truth, and likewise the highest austerity; You are the purest path, O Lord, You are the highest sacrifice.'

Verse 18 (skanda.5.94.18)

परं हौत्रं परं धाम त्वामाहुः पुरुषं परम्। एवं स्तुतस्तदा तैस्तु देवदेवो वरानने

paraṁ hautraṁ paraṁ dhāma tvāmāhuḥ puruṣaṁ param| evaṁ stutastadā taistu devadevo varānane

'You they call the highest oblation, the highest abode, the Supreme Person.' Thus praised by them, O fair-faced one, the God of gods...

Verse 19 (skanda.5.94.19)

प्राह देवांस्ततः कृष्णः किं करोम्यद्य वः सुराः। विज्ञप्तस्तैर्हरिर्देवो ह्यनावृष्ट्या प्रपीडितैः

prāha devāṁstataḥ kṛṣṇaḥ kiṁ karomyadya vaḥ surāḥ| vijñaptastairharirdevo hyanāvṛṣṭyā prapīḍitaiḥ

...then Krishna said to the gods: 'O gods, what shall I now do for you?' Thus was the god Hari entreated by them, tormented as they were by drought.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.94.20)

उपायः कथ्यतां देव तुष्टिः धुष्टिर्यथा भवेत्। ध्यानेन चिंतयित्वा च कथयामास केशवः

upāyaḥ kathyatāṁ deva tuṣṭiḥ dhuṣṭiryathā bhavet| dhyānena ciṁtayitvā ca kathayāmāsa keśavaḥ

'Tell us, O Lord, the remedy by which contentment and satisfaction may come to pass.' Having reflected in meditation, Keshava spoke.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.94.21)

गच्छध्वं त्रिदशाः सर्वे महाकालवने शुभे। लिंगं वृष्टिकरं तत्र पुरा मेघैः प्रतिष्ठितम्

gacchadhvaṁ tridaśāḥ sarve mahākālavane śubhe| liṁgaṁ vṛṣṭikaraṁ tatra purā meghaiḥ pratiṣṭhitam

'Go, all you thirty gods, to the auspicious forest of Mahakala; there stands a rain-giving linga, established long ago by the clouds.'

Verse 22 (skanda.5.94.22)

मेघा वृष्टिकराः सर्वे तस्मिँल्लिंगे च संति वै। तस्य लिंगस्य माहात्म्याद्वृष्टिरेव भविष्यति

meghā vṛṣṭikarāḥ sarve tasmi~lliṁge ca saṁti vai| tasya liṁgasya māhātmyādvṛṣṭireva bhaviṣyati

'All the rain-bringing clouds dwell within that very linga; by the greatness of that linga, rain shall surely come to pass.'

Verse 23 (skanda.5.94.23)

प्रतीहारेश्वराद्देवादीशाने विद्यते सुराः। तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा वासुदेवस्य पार्वति

pratīhāreśvarāddevādīśāne vidyate surāḥ| tasya tadvacanaṁ śrutvā vāsudevasya pārvati

'To the northeast of the god Pratihareshvara the gods dwell.' Hearing these words of Vasudeva, O Parvati...

Verse 24 (skanda.5.94.24)

महाकालवने प्राप्ता यत्रास्ते लिंगमुत्तमम्। तुष्टुवुः परया भक्त्या दृष्ट्वा देवं मनोरमम्

mahākālavane prāptā yatrāste liṁgamuttamam| tuṣṭuvuḥ parayā bhaktyā dṛṣṭvā devaṁ manoramam

...they reached the forest of Mahakala, where that excellent linga stands; beholding that lovely god, they praised him with the utmost devotion.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.94.25)

नमस्तेऽस्तु महेशाय नमोऽनंताय मालिने। नमस्तैजसमूर्त्ताय नमः सौंदर्यशालिने

namaste'stu maheśāya namo'naṁtāya māline| namastaijasamūrttāya namaḥ sauṁdaryaśāline

'Salutation to Mahesha! Salutation to the garlanded Infinite One! Salutation to the form of radiant splendour! Salutation to the abode of beauty!'

Verse 26 (skanda.5.94.26)

नमो योगाय वेदाय नमः पिंगजटाय ते। अनंतज्ञानदेहाय नम ईश्वरमूर्त्तये

namo yogāya vedāya namaḥ piṁgajaṭāya te| anaṁtajñānadehāya nama īśvaramūrttaye

'Salutation to Yoga, salutation to the Veda! Salutation to You of tawny matted locks! Salutation to the body of infinite knowledge, salutation to the form of the Lord!'

Verse 27 (skanda.5.94.27)

नमः शुभ्राट्टहासाय नमस्तेऽस्तु शिखंडिने। शंकराय नमस्तेऽस्तु नमस्तेस्तु पिनाकिने

namaḥ śubhrāṭṭahāsāya namaste'stu śikhaṁḍine| śaṁkarāya namaste'stu namastestu pinākine

'Salutation to the bright, terrible laughter! Salutation to You, the crested one! Salutation to Shankara! Salutation to You, bearer of the Pinaka bow!'

Verse 28 (skanda.5.94.28)

नमोंऽतकाय भव्याय त्र्यंबकायास्तु ते नमः। नमस्ते बहुरूपाय नमस्तेऽचिंत्यमूर्त्तये

namoṁ'takāya bhavyāya tryaṁbakāyāstu te namaḥ| namaste bahurūpāya namaste'ciṁtyamūrttaye

'Salutation to the Ender, the auspicious one, salutation to You, the Three-eyed One! Salutation to You of many forms, salutation to You of inconceivable form!'

Verse 29 (skanda.5.94.29)

नमो योगशरीराय नमस्ते सर्व सर्वदा। नष्टं देव जगत्सर्वमनावृष्ट्या प्रपीडितम्

namo yogaśarīrāya namaste sarva sarvadā| naṣṭaṁ deva jagatsarvamanāvṛṣṭyā prapīḍitam

'Salutation to the body of Yoga, salutation to You always, in every way! O God, this whole world, afflicted by drought, is being destroyed.'

Verse 30 (skanda.5.94.30)

सुवृष्ट्या देवदेवेश पाहि नः शरणागतान्। एतस्मिन्नंतरे मेघा पार्वणांगारवर्चसः

suvṛṣṭyā devadeveśa pāhi naḥ śaraṇāgatān| etasminnaṁtare meghā pārvaṇāṁgāravarcasaḥ

'O Lord of the lords of the gods, protect us, who have come for refuge, with good rain.' Meanwhile, clouds radiant like glowing embers of the full moon...

Verse 31 (skanda.5.94.31)

लिंगमध्यात्समुत्तस्थुर्वादयंतो नभस्तलम्। अन्योन्यवेगाभिहता ववृषुर्भूतले तदा

liṁgamadhyātsamuttasthurvādayaṁto nabhastalam| anyonyavegābhihatā vavṛṣurbhūtale tadā

...rose up from within that very linga, filling the sky with their roar, and, striking one another in their force, then poured rain upon the earth.

Verse 32 (skanda.5.94.32)

जातं विनिष्प्रभं सर्वं न प्राज्ञायत किंचन। तिमिरौघपरिक्षिप्ता रेजुश्चाथ दिशो दश

jātaṁ viniṣprabhaṁ sarvaṁ na prājñāyata kiṁcana| timiraughaparikṣiptā rejuścātha diśo daśa

Everything grew devoid of light, nothing at all could be discerned; the ten directions lay wrapped in masses of darkness.

Verse 33 (skanda.5.94.33)

ते तस्य देवदेवस्य माहात्म्येन प्रतोषिताः। देवाः प्रीतिं परां जग्मुः सर्वेऽमृतमिवोत्तमाः

te tasya devadevasya māhātmyena pratoṣitāḥ| devāḥ prītiṁ parāṁ jagmuḥ sarve'mṛtamivottamāḥ

Gratified by the greatness of that God of gods, all those gods attained supreme delight, like the finest nectar.

Verse 34 (skanda.5.94.34)

ततस्तमः संहरतो विनेशुश्च बलाहका। प्रववुः शीतला वाताः प्रशांताश्च दिशो दश

tatastamaḥ saṁharato vineśuśca balāhakā| pravavuḥ śītalā vātāḥ praśāṁtāśca diśo daśa

Then, as the darkness dispersed, the storm-clouds vanished; cool winds began to blow, and the ten directions grew calm.

Verse 35 (skanda.5.94.35)

शुद्धप्रभाणि ज्योतींषि सोमं चक्रुः प्रदक्षिणाम्। अविग्रहं ग्रहाश्चक्रुः प्रशांताश्चापि सिन्धवः

śuddhaprabhāṇi jyotīṁṣi somaṁ cakruḥ pradakṣiṇām| avigrahaṁ grahāścakruḥ praśāṁtāścāpi sindhavaḥ

The luminaries of pure radiance circled the moon, the planets moved without hindrance, and the oceans, too, grew calm.

Verse 36 (skanda.5.94.36)

महर्षयो विशोकाश्च गंधर्वाश्च कलं जगुः। अभूत्सृष्टिः पुनः सर्वा लिंगस्यास्य प्रभावतः

maharṣayo viśokāśca gaṁdharvāśca kalaṁ jaguḥ| abhūtsṛṣṭiḥ punaḥ sarvā liṁgasyāsya prabhāvataḥ

The great sages became free from sorrow, and the Gandharvas sang sweetly; through the power of this linga all creation came to life once more.

Verse 37 (skanda.5.94.37)

सुरैः संपूज्य भक्त्या ते चक्रुर्नाम यथार्थतः। अस्य लिंगस्य माहात्म्यं दृष्ट्वा प्रीताः सुरा बहु

suraiḥ saṁpūjya bhaktyā te cakrurnāma yathārthataḥ| asya liṁgasya māhātmyaṁ dṛṣṭvā prītāḥ surā bahu

The gods, worshipping with devotion, gave it a name true to its meaning. Having beheld the greatness of this linga, the gods, greatly delighted, said —

Verse 38 (skanda.5.94.38)

मेघनादेश्वरं नाम भविष्यत्यस्य सर्वतः। मेघनादेश्वराख्यानं मया ते कथितं प्रिये

meghanādeśvaraṁ nāma bhaviṣyatyasya sarvataḥ| meghanādeśvarākhyānaṁ mayā te kathitaṁ priye

'This shall in every way be known by the name Meghanadeshvara.' O beloved, I have told you this account of Meghanadeshvara.

Verse 39 (skanda.5.94.39)

भविष्यंति नरा भूमौ कृतार्थास्तत्प्रभावतः। दर्शनादस्य लिंगस्य कामवृष्टिर्भविष्यति

bhaviṣyaṁti narā bhūmau kṛtārthāstatprabhāvataḥ| darśanādasya liṁgasya kāmavṛṣṭirbhaviṣyati

By its power, men on earth shall become fulfilled; from the sight of this linga, rain shall come according to one's desire.

Verse 40 (skanda.5.94.40)

कल्पकोटिसहस्राणि कल्पकोटिशतानि च। कुर्वंल्लिंगस्य स्नपनं रुद्रलोके महीयते

kalpakoṭisahasrāṇi kalpakoṭiśatāni ca| kurvaṁlliṁgasya snapanaṁ rudraloke mahīyate

One who performs the bathing-rite of this linga for thousands of crores and hundreds of crores of kalpas is honoured in the world of Rudra.

Verse 41 (skanda.5.94.41)

प्रभावः पठ्यते यत्र मेघनादस्य पार्वति। अतिवृष्टिश्चैव ततो भविष्यति च भूतले

prabhāvaḥ paṭhyate yatra meghanādasya pārvati| ativṛṣṭiścaiva tato bhaviṣyati ca bhūtale

O Parvati, wherever the glory of Meghanada is recited, there abundant rain shall come to pass upon the earth.